Chapter 7
The rest of the day nobody speaks a word to each other. Collin and Clare lead the way through the forest westward while Lana and I tag along behind them. She gently holds my hand for comfort the entire day to ease my pain. If there was anything romantic between us I probably would have pushed her away, but because it is as if my sister is softly holding my hand after scraping my knee it comforts me. I wish she would never have to let go. But she does.
As the sun sets I scale a tree to get a grip on our surroundings again. We were maybe five miles from the mesa and I could still see the treacherous desert nearly ten miles behind us. The putrid sulfur from the volcanic mesa can be smelled from here. Maybe we can risk a fire then, since nobody would be able to smell it. No, don't be stupid. There's nothing to cook anyways and it's only a bit chilly on this night. We can't risk being seen by the Careers. When I return to the ground I see Clare is already fast asleep with Collin rubbing her shoulders with one hand, and his sword in the other.
"Tell her to wake up. It's her turn to keep watch over the camp." I blatantly tell Collin.
"She's already asleep. Besides just have Lana watch tonight, since she hasn't kept watch yet." He says slightly irritated. No. I'm not having this tonight. Not right after Darren died in front of me. Collin may think he's in charge, but I'm the only reason the alliance was formed. I saved him from the careers on the mesa. I saved him from the volcano when he was injured. I am in charge, and it's time I made it clear that I was.
"Lana kept watch every night with Darren when she wasn't with us. Now wake her up and tell her to get on watch." I say as my voice slowly rises.
"What's your problem? She's tired. She almost got killed today because YOU knocked her over when that beam was coming down on us!" He yells at me.
"It was an accident and you know it. And I didn't see you going back to save her. I did! Let's get something straight Collin. I am in charge of this group, not you. Now wake her up!" I shout at him. Clare stands up having been awake the entire time. She pulls her two kukri knives free and resentfully walks to the edge of camp. Collin stares at me, but I refuse to break eye contact. Eventually he goes to join Clare at the edge of the camp and I tell Lana to sleep for a while.
"Have your weapon and Darren's pack at the ready though. We'll be leaving in a hurry." I say in a hushed tone.
"What do you mean leaving?" She asks.
"Just trust me." I answer. She doesn't need to know all the details about what is soon to happen. I sit by her side and keep my eye on Collin and Clare at all times. They are no longer to be trusted. Several hours pass and Clare finally returns to the center of camp with Collin. Each of them keeps their weapons unsheathed. It seems our group dynamic has been severed. No going back now.
"I'll take watch on the far side of camp. I'll be back in a few hours." I tell them. I look behind me at Lana who is lying on her back under one of the blankets from Collin's pack with a spear in her hand. Good, she trusted me. If she hadn't this would be a whole lot more difficult.
I walk to the far edge of camp with an arrow already on the string of my bow. I turn around to assess the situation and see Collin and Clare both staring at me with their hands tightening around their weapons. It's now or never. I walk out of their line of sight behind a tree maybe fifty feet from where they were sitting. I take a deep breath and steady my hands. My aim needs to be better than it ever has before. I whip around the tree with the arrow pulled to my eye and let it soar. Something's wrong. They aren't there anymore. The arrow sticks into the ground where Collin and Clare should still be. I look left and then right, but they're nowhere to be seen. This isn't good. I was supposed to take them by surprise, but I wasn't careful enough. They read me like an open book.
They could be anywhere. In one of the trees above Lana. Further off in the forest. Or even directly behind me if they were quick enough. I turn around and ready another arrow. Nothing. I can't see them anywhere. I can't go hunting them in the dark, but I do need to keep Lana safe. How could I have messed this up so badly? Two more enemies now and half of our supplies gone. If I had managed to kill them like I had planned, then we'd have more than enough supplies and two less tributes to worry about. I run towards Lana's spot in the camp, but she's gone. No. NO! I can't lose her now. Did they take her hostage? No, Lana would have called out for me. Where is she then? All that's left in the camp is Collin's blanket that Lana was sleeping under. I didn't hear a cannon fire, so she must still be alive.
"LANA?" I shout into the forest. No response. I can't just sit here. I look at the tracks Collin and Clare left behind. They left in a hurry alright, but according to the tracks they went straight out into the forest and avoided Lana all together. I look at any tracks Lana could have left behind, but it looks like she ran after them. Why would she do that? It's way too dangerous. No time to wait anymore. I follow Lana's trail into the woods, but it's too dark to see much of anything. If only I had a flashlight or a torch. The flint. I didn't expect to use it so early on, but this is dire now. I find some dry tinder close by and use a few vines to tie them tightly to the end of the knife I have. I spark the flint near the tinder and it ignites within a few minutes. The makeshift torch is small and rather ineffective, but it's better than nothing. I put the torch close to the ground and see Lana was hot on their tails. I run as fast as I can in the direction the three of them were going and stop periodically to make sure I'm still headed in the right direction. After half an hour I feel like I'm never going to find them. Then I hear a cannon fire. This can't be happening. I can't lose Lana and Darren in the same day.
"LANA?!" I scream at the top of lungs. Her name echoes through the forest as I sprint further along. If she's dead then I only have one mission. Kill every single person I see in this entire arena, but Collin and Clare get something special. I want their deaths to be long and painful. If they've killed Lana, then I'll have them begging for death by the time I'm finished with them.
Suddenly a tribute comes rushing out of the darkness at me and I'm knocked onto my back by the force of the impact. I drop the knife and grab my bow. Lana picks herself up from the ground and raises a hand to stop me from hurting her. I put the arrow attached to the string back in my quiver and hug her tightly with tears in my eyes. I thought I lost her.
"What happened?" I whisper to her. I notice Lana is covered in blood, but she isn't moving as if she's been injured. Another cannon fires.
"I don't have time to explain. We need to hide now." She whispers back. No need to tell me twice. I pick up the knife and fling the tinder from it. The lit fire could draw the attention of attackers away from us. I grab Lana's hand and we sprint away from the area. Not long after, the both of us scale a short willow tree. We may be a little close to the ground, but the wide branches and numerous leaves should conceal us fairly well.
"I'LL KILL YOU!" I hear Collin yelling nearby. He runs right past us covered in blood and carrying two packs. Once he's far enough away from our location I turn to Lana.
"What happened? Why'd you chase after them?" I ask frantically.
"I killed Clare." Lana says as she lifts her blood stained spear.
